Colorado’s opener against Georgia Tech is still 14 days away, but Deion Sanders has already started making cuts in his head. And he is not hiding what he is looking for. Talent gets a player noticed, but it does not guarantee a seat on the plane.

On August 20, Deion Sanders told his Colorado team he is treating the roster more like an NFL operation. Right now, he has 74 players on his team, but his target is to travel with a group of 53 players. The message was blunt. Not everybody currently in the room is earning a trip to Atlanta.

“I’m not happy,” he said via Thee Pregame Network. “You just go in there to kick it, play around to just strike the one that really wants the ball. You’re not having. So right now it’s 53. Are you part of that 53? Are you one of the 53 best on this team?”

No wonder the locker room remained very quiet. Deion Sanders had already warned the team that practice would be about separating players from everybody else. He wants to identify the players he can trust when Colorado walks into Bobby Dodd Stadium on Sept. 3 to face Georgia Tech. 

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Deion Sanders and the Buffs are heading back to Atlanta for a rematch of last season’s opener. Last year, the Yellow Jackets walked out of Boulder with a 27-20 victory. This time, the game has been moved into the national spotlight again with ESPN carrying the matchup. 

The first meeting gave Colorado plenty to fix. The Buffs surrendered 320 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Kaidon Salter completed 17 of 28 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, but they could not quite turn a competitive game into a win. That’s why Deion Sanders has been stressing the importance of his players’ preparedness.

“We’re going to be physical today and it’s going to be forceful,” he said earlier this week. “We going to see who separates from the pack. That’s what we looking for.”

That shows how Deion Sanders is handling this camp. From reputation and production to missed assignments and effort, everything matters. And with Georgia Tech waiting, there is not much time left for anyone to coast, whether it’s about revenge or proving everyone else wrong. 

“I don’t think it has anything to do with last year,” RB DeKalon Taylor told Sports Illustrated. “I think it has more to do with us and our identity this year.”

Colorado brought in 62 new players through recruiting and the transfer portal this offseason. There are new faces, new expectations and, naturally, plenty of questions about whether this group can be tougher than the one that finished last season. Taylor knows what people are saying.

“Everybody is saying we’re too small, we’re too this,” he said. “Well, we’re just excited to get out there and showcase our talent.”

Deion Sanders is asking for something beyond talent. He wants players who will do the dirty work, follow assignments, and keep pushing when nobody is watching. He wants 53 players he trusts, not 74 players filling a locker room. That makes these final days of camp important for everyone.